A Wilhelm Scream / Whole Wheat Bread: live in St. Petersburglive in St. Petersburg (2005)Nitro Records

Reviewer Rating: 3.5

Contributed by: wehavecomeforyourchildrenwehavecomeforyourchildren(others by this writer | submit your own)Published on August 30th 2005The full lineup for this show was Chubby Tuff, Whole Wheat Bread, A Wilhelm Scream, and Catch 22. For those of you who don't know who Chubby Tuff are (everyone in the world), they're a Florida ska band who claim to be "cooler than your mom." I'm not sure how bands like this still exist in 2005, but.

The full lineup for this show was Chubby Tuff, Whole Wheat Bread, A Wilhelm Scream, and Catch 22. For those of you who don't know who Chubby Tuff are (everyone in the world), they're a Florida ska band who claim to be "cooler than your mom." I'm not sure how bands like this still exist in 2005, but they do.

My first big shock of the night was showing up at the State Theatre and finding a huge line down the street. I had no idea that Catch 22 still had such a huge fanbase; come to think of it, I had no idea ska still had such a huge fanbase. I was kind of annoyed, but my friends and I just went to get something to eat to kill the time necessary for the line to die and Chubby Tuff to play.

When we came back, Chubby Tuff only had two songs left, but the kids were going nuts. I mean, they were going fucking bonkers. It was at this point that I was able to conclude that ska kids love ska bands; it doesn't matter if they've ever heard them before or if they're any good; all that matters is whether or not they're ska. Kids were crowdsurfing, skanking up on stage with the band, just loving it. I also decided that if nothing else, ska is admirable for its sole motive of fun. All the same, looking at these kids made me want to kill myself.

Standing near the back of the place, I saw Whole Wheat Bread's bass player and asked him if there was any particular reason that they always seem to tour with ska bands. Do ska bands just love Whole Wheat Bread, do they have the same booking agent as all the ska bands, I mean, what's the deal? It turns out that they do have the same booking agent, and that booking agent is Catch 22's bass player. That explains it all right.

Whole Wheat Bread started setting up and the kids started cheering and chanting and going nuts. All the tours with Streetlight Manifesto, Big D, and Catch 22 have paid off. Now ska kids love WWB. The onstage skanking and pseudo-stage diving continued throughout their set and they even came back out for an encore after the chanting wouldn't die. Oh, and since this is supposed to be a review I'm writing, let me tell you about the band's actual performance. They opened the set with their album's super short, closing track "Miss The Bus" and immediately started flying around the stage. For such a young band I was impressed by their stage presence. They weren't at all awkward and stayed energetic through the whole set. They covered most of their debut Minority Rules and played three new songs as well. For those of you familiar with Minority Rules, I'm sure you've noticed that some of the songs tend to be kind of bland, and rightfully so; it's a debut from a young band. Anyways, the new songs sounded pretty good. They all had their own feel and it seems like WWB are definitely learning how to branch out a little bit. For the encore, they did "Miss Perfection," which I could have done without. I was hoping for "Overrated." And is it just me, or isn't it kind of strange for a support act to do an encore?

The Whole Wheat Bread set was kind of marred by the onstage fan skanking and I was hoping these kids weren't going to do that to A Wilhelm Scream. I conducted my own little insta-poll with the kids around me and quickly discovered that no one had any fucking clue who A Wilhelm Scream were. Thank God.

AWS definitely saved the fucking show when they kicked it up with "Killing It." My friends and I immediately pushed our little checker-shoed friends to the side and made our way to the front. They followed it up with "The King Is Dead" (minus the quiet intro) and continued on with a nice mix of Mute Print and Ruiner tracks. For those of you interested, the full set (and this is pretty close to exact order) was "Killing It," "The King Is Dead," "Famous Friends And Fashion Drunks," "Anchor End," "When I Was Alive: Walden III," "The Kids Can Eat A Bag Of Dicks," an old Smackin Isaiah song, "The Soft Sell," "Dreaming Of Throwing Up," "Me Vs. Morrissey...," and "The Rip."

By the end of the set I was drenched in sweat, had no voice, couldn't hear, and was on my way out the door. I had joked earlier that I was gonna stay for Catch 22 just to hear "12341234" and relive the 8th grade, but there was no way I could handle it at this point. Even if I hadn't have been wiped out, I couldn't handle any more strange looks from frizzy-haired band geeks who couldn't fathom why I hadn't skanked for this band that I had clearly liked. Anyways, even if there were only 8 kids out of 600 at this show that were into AWS, it was obvious that they're on the way up. Their stage presence has improved since I last saw them, and they've now got two killer albums on the shelf. Part of me wishes they'd never get popular and I could keep them all to myself, but part of me knows that if I want more AWS albums, they've got to make some money, which means they've got to get more fans, which is what's going to happen. I'm sure that every kid at that show is going to check them out after seeing them...even if they don't have a horns section.

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Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not respon
sible for them in any way. Seriously.

Anonymous (September 7, 2005)

hey all you who bash the reviewer can suck my ass!! i happened to be at the show with the reviewer and the kids there were fucking jokers. hey if you guys are gonna say that he is bashing a style of music that is not true he is bashing these little fuckers who come to shows and ruin them this review makes my dick hard like that one kid said so all you who dont like the review keep it too your self or or go fuck your self. Ska is cool i guess but the people who support are fucking faggots!!!! suck my dick you ska pussies!!!!

brent

Anonymous (September 6, 2005)

wierd, I went to the show in iowa city and had a blast listening to all the bands that played, odd how i went to see aws play and walked in to see three black guys playing unexpectedon stage and ended up liking their performance better than the band i came to watch. wierder even is i ska'd with kids 6 years younger than me when catch played and i've never been a huge catch fan AND i had a great time, you know whats even more odd? or ignorant at best?, you dumbshits saying how much a band sucks when the environment it creates makes you enjoy and then come to this board and spat shit about how much fun you had while there, fuck off and die loots

to the kid directly below me....yea, they've been together for 3 years, but i still call them a young band for these reasons.

a) they're young guys
b) how many times have they been into a studio?
c) up until a year ago how many tours had they been on?

in a forum like this, where most of the band talked about have been around for ten years, recorded 6 or 7 full lengths, and been on countless national and european tours, WWB are a young band. or at least a comparatively younger band.

To the guy saying that the AWS hype is going to kill them.. you're not looking beyond the stupidity that is the majority of punknews commenters. for instance, the first couple posts about them after Mute Print came out were 100% positive things. Then eventually you saw significantly more anti-AWS comments. The interpretation to this being that now a lot more people like AWS, and therefore the large amounts of dipshits who have nothing better to do than to rip on any band that's gaining popularity, have gotten bored making fun of Fall Out Boy and turned to Wilhelm.

A band's popularity and value can be measured directly by the amount of shit that is talked about them on this web site.

"If they weren't an all black punk band, they wouldn't be anywhere right now and you all know it. I think its pretty shitty for bands to use race as a gimmick."

Yes I'm pretty sure that they were a bunch of white kids who decided 'you know what, our stuff isn't good enough, let's get some black body paint and see how they like us'. I hope to God that you were just dumb and used gimmick in a retarded manner because if not you're just pretty much ignorant. If they like the music they play it shouldn't matter what their race is, it's not like they're playing pop punk to make money off of dumb white kids because you know they're not making much. Granted they may have more fun because they're black but they're not trying to scam people by playing music they like.

Anonymous (September 2, 2005)

buncha naggers

Anonymous (September 2, 2005)

I know everyone else thinks it and doesn't want to say it.

Whole Wheat Bread is mediocre at best. The only reason why they get any attention is cause they're black guys playing pop punk and you know it.

If they weren't an all black punk band, they wouldn't be anywhere right now and you all know it. I think its pretty shitty for bands to use race as a gimmick.

That girl in the green jacket (also wearin a short skirt) was gonna get the shit effed out of her!!!! IT was pretty hot how "sexy" she looked givin stares with her 2 girls to the ten of us trying to enjoy AWS.

- jones the bones

- stevejones8770@yahoo.com

Anonymous (September 1, 2005)

That kid with the green shirt (also wearin a white hat till someone tossed it like a frisbee) was gonna get the shit beat out of him!!!! IT was pretty funny how "tough" he looked givin stares with his 2 boys to the ten of us trying to enjoy AWS. Maybe he'll try it again at the Pennywise show....... what a stupid fuck

Anonymous (September 1, 2005)

AWS can go eat dust btw

Anonymous (September 1, 2005)

no noe knows who AWS are? WTF

Anonymous (September 1, 2005)

its funny...for such a non controversial, talented yet mediocre band, AWS sure brings out some pretty heated conversations on this site....i think 80% of comes from theundergroundscene saying that Wilhelm succeeded where Strung out FAILED!!??!!! i mean, come on!!!! WHAT THE FUCK WERE YOU THINKING UNDERGROUND>>>STRUNG OUT >>>>FAILED? FUCK YOU AND YOUR OPINION> AWS ARENT FIT TO WHIPE THE COLLECTIVE ASSES OF STRUNG OUT!!!11111111!!!!1111!

- jones the bones

- stevejones8770@yahoo.cmo

Anonymous (September 1, 2005)

i just want to know when it became un-cool to like more than one type of music. and maybe more importantly, when it became un-cool to show tolerance and respect for the kids, regardless of their musical taste. i way dig AWS, but back in the day i was a ska/jazz fan and really, i can't understand why everyone is so down on ska. it's fun, sometimes socially conscious, and it isn't emo...that's good enough for me. then again, some of my close friends are metal heads, so maybe i'm just too tolerant for my own good.

Anonymous (September 1, 2005)

Ok, so I was at this show in St.Pete. I have no problem with ska or pop-punk, whatever you want to call it. But, these kids were the most disrespectful kids I have ever seen in all my years of going to shows. First off, the asshole with the green aquabats shirt & white ballcap was the most annoying being on this planet. this kid was saying "YOU SUCK, GO HOME,FUCK YOU" after every Wilhem song. That was the true Ruiner. Then he sits down in the middle of the pit while they are playing acting like a fat asshole. I paid $12 bucks to see 1 band. Have respect for everyone else. I wasn't there to see Catch22 or Whole Wheat Bread, but I wasn't dissing them or expressing hate. Next time I won't stop everyone from pounding the life out of you Green Shirt! Shows are supposed to be fun, if you don't like something keep your mouth shut. Support who you want, but have respect for everyone else who's mommy didn't buy their tickets. A Wilhem Scream will be back @ Jannus w/ Pennywise & H2O, maybe this will be a better crowd for the Mass boys.

i buy all of my albums. i pay to get in to every show i attend. when i was playing in bands, i spent hours working to get tours booked on my own. i set up shows in my town and charge the bare minimum i can to meet touring bands guarantees or owners' demands. plus, i'm nice to all the kids i come into contact with and have even paid bands out of my own pocket when a show got cancelled (and refunded kids' money when a band cancelled). ...but since i ragged on some kids at a show i went to (in an online forum, where i cited no one specifically, therefore hurt no one's feelings or alienated a single person) i'm ruining punk rock?

okay.

Anonymous (September 1, 2005)

I drove down to St. Pete and paid the $12 at the door to see A Wilhelm Scream and them only. I thought that the lineup was completely misplaced for such a talented act. I could of done without the ska completely and probably without a support act such as WWB. They should have had a more technical, aggressive line-up for a show like that. All I know is that 30 of my friends and myself were kicking the shit out of some skankers for AWS. Bravo boys, keep "killing it!"

Anonymous (September 1, 2005)

wait, "12341234" was on keasbey nights, right?
that came out in 1998. and you were in 8th grade?
um... you're... a junior in college (or not)?
damn, time flies when you're having punk.

Anonymous (September 1, 2005)

Alone in a Crowd rules! Yay Catch 22.

Anonymous (September 1, 2005)

assholes like this reviewer are whats wrong with punk today

asshat

Anonymous (September 1, 2005)

There are no "ska" kids here in St. Petersburg. There are 15-year-old, flash-in-the-pan scene types, like our reviewer, and crusty 30-year-old veterans, who go to shows like this because they get in for free. There is no in-between in this backwater cesspool.

AWS is the most overrated "punk" band in history. Good music withstands the test of time. We'll see how many people are still spinning their predictable-ass records 5 years from now.

so that's what H stands for in Jesus H Christ?
a few things : when I went to this show in atlanta, it was barren. ska kids did not hold their end of the bargain. there were three kids hardcore about AWS, and had a blast between the three of them, but that was about all the excitement.
I thought they put on a good show (wow lead singer is short, but lots of energy), but WWB got more cheers than them. whose idea was it to put C22 and AWS together? bad move.
finally, C22 didnt play 12341234!!! and while they did play Kristina, they didn't even do an encore. eff that!

Anonymous (August 31, 2005)

I'm on the verge of swearing off internet message boards completely, because they just seem to be draining whatever faith I have left in the youth of today.

"Oh no! Some anonymous reviewer who has no bearing on what most people think said that ska kids are annoying!! HE'S BIASED! ATTACK!"

i haven't been online in a few days, but i'm stoked to see that my review was posted. in respone to all you crazy commenters:

dear kids who are pissed at me for my remarks about ska,
i never once made a single statement against ska or catch 22. anything bad i said was about the kids at the show. yea, i called them ska kids, but what else do you call kids who never stop skanking?

dear jones,
this review uses the word ska a million times for two reasons.
a)as previously stated, there's no way to refer to the kids at this show with any term other than "ska kids."
b) two of the bands were ska bands.

dear kid who said i forgot to mention the kids sitting down in the pit,
i didn't notice. although if i had, i would have been sure to kick each one in the face.

i don't mean to "hype" a wilhelm scream and i don't think i did. i never said "GO BUY THEIR ALBUMS RIGHT NOW, THAT SHIT WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE LIKE IT CHANGED MINE. THIS BAND IS THE FUTURE OF MUSIC." i do like them though.
as for the comments about me being an elitist; aws are on nitro records -the same label as rufio, the former label of afi and guttermouth. they were on the fucking warped tour. the fact that i'll admit to even liking this band rules me out for elitist branding.

Anonymous (August 31, 2005)

"Oh, and since this is supposed to be a review I'm writing, let me tell you about the band's actual performance"

i dont really understand why some people keep bashing the reviewer. Its pretty obvious that most people who are into AWS are probably not into ska, and it seems like everyone equally dislikes ska now so im trying to figure out the problem.

if we didnt make fun of him or his review, well, then what the hell are we supposed to make fun of in this comment section?

- jones the bones

- stevejones8770@yahoo.com

Anonymous (August 31, 2005)

i dont really understand why some people keep bashing the reviewer. Its pretty obvious that most people who are into AWS are probably not into ska, and it seems like everyone equally dislikes ska now so im trying to figure out the problem.

Anonymous (August 31, 2005)

This review is worthless. How does shit like this even get posted? You sound like a self-absorbed dickhead. Seriously. Just go jump off a tall (30 story) building... you're fucking useless.

I think the hype on AWS is going to do them under, if they were more popular than they are now, I'd say hype would help...but at this stage in the game, the hype will fade this band out...STOP HYPING AWS!

You forgot to mention all of the kids who sat in the middle of the pit towards the end of AWS' set. Not only disrespectful to the band but also to the ones who were trying to enjoy AWS. If you don't like it then don't sit in the middle of the pit and expect other people not to fuck with you! Ska kids are TOO cool for AWS....HAHAHA

score is for myself.
The damn Streetlight Manifesto/Bedouin Soundclash show i was planning on going to sold out yesterday. :(
It pays to buy tickets early i guess.
I did buy my tix for the Bouncing Souls/ 7Seconds show though so no big loss/

I feel genuinely bad for Catch 22. I'm a huge, huge, SM fan, and will admit that their sound went slightly downhill after Tomas left, but come on, they're still an awesome band. They tour hard, and put up with shit almost every single show because of a band member shift that happened, what, 6-7 years ago? Yet assholes like the reviewer eternally talk bad about them and don't even give them a chance. C22 has been a staple of the ska scene for a long, long time, and would be able to stand on their own merits, post-keasby nights, if closed minded idiots didn't freak out every time a band changes their sound.

/end rant

PS: You're (presumably) not in 9th grade, talking about how few people know the band you went to see does not make you cool.

Anonymous (August 30, 2005)

This guy is especially a wanker, he couldn't even put the name of the headlining band on the article title.

It's an internet website not Newsweek, who gives a shit if a review is biased?

Anonymous (August 30, 2005)

This reviewer is a wank.
You couldn't be more self-absorbed in what you think is 'good music'. The whole point of this is to give an unbiased review so there is an equal opportunity for all the bands to receive exposure.
Get some better taste, then do reviews.